Sparring Partners
by hinarei
Summary: Motoko is disturbed while training... but accepts the challenge levelled at her... it may need Kitsune to sort things out though.


Sparring Partners - A Love Hina Fanfic

A clear spring morning. Cool refreshing breeze, fairly light, perfect conditions. Mind clear of all distractions. Pick a target.  
  
There. Got one. Eyes focus on target, tracking each significant movement. Unbidden, mind calculates predicted trajectory, angles and wind factor. Muscles bunch, shift stance... everything settled, ready to strike...  
  
"HEYOOOOOOOOOOOO, MOTOKOOOOO!!!!!"  
  
"Woulgh!"  
  
Shattered.  
  
The second thing to hit Motoko after the world-breaking noise was her friend, Kaolla. Barrelling off the roof, Kaolla crashed square into Motoko's back, pitching her forward, to land flat on her face on the deck.  
  
"Morning!", Kaolla shouted, right in Motoko's ear. Motoko expected things like this, but she was still bewildered.  
  
Normally Motoko started each morning at around 6 a.m. Keeping to a rigourous routine , at least early morning, was essential to her training. She woke, washed, brushed her teeth and then got dressed. After this, she went out onto the laundry area to practice. Being a master and head of a school of kendo didn't mean she could take it easy, it meant she had to work really hard to keep on top form.  
  
Motoko normally had the mornings to herself until at least 7 am. This was why she was confused, and hadn't expected Kaolla. Kaolla was not an early riser, most of the time, except if she was excited about something, maybe Christmas, or her birthday.  
  
Motoko opened her eyes just in time to see the leaf she had been focussing on drift down on to her nose. Her chin was pressed into the decking, so her first question to Kaolla came out as a rather deep growl through gritted teeth.  
  
"SU! What were you doing up there!!?"  
  
"Sliding down", came the reply, from somewhere between Motoko's shoulderblades.  
  
"Grr... let me up, will you?" Motoko struggled, because, even though she was very athletic and strong, and Su wasn't in the least bit heavy, Su had succeeded in pinning her to the groound very effectively, whether she realised it or not.  
  
"No! hehe you gotta get up on your own!" grinned Kaolla. 'Great', thought Motoko, 'first she disturbs my morning, now she wants to play'. Okay...'  
  
After a rather difficult wriggle round, Motoko found herself on her back, with her head trapped by Su's thighs. Su was smirking. "What's so funny?" "Heh, I'd be all bloody if Keitaro got like this", snickered Su. Motoko coloured, thinking about exactly where she was, and imagining Urashima's reaction. The boards would be stained quite badly. "Yes, and I'd bloody him. Time and again he does that, when will he ever learn?", said Motoko, sternly. "Yeah, I know you would! That's fun! But I wouldn't mind if Keitaro ended up here... or you. You like it down there?" The smirk stayed where it was on Kaolla's face. Her eyes fixed on Motoko's watching the older girl's reaction.  
  
"uh.. it's not unpleasant... wh-what did I just say?", stammered Motoko. 'You know exactly what you said, and why..', a little voice spoke inside her head. Her face flushed, Motoko heaved herself into a sitting position. It took some doing, but Kaolla ended up sitting in Motoko's lap. "Well, this isn't helping my training!", Motoko said, rather too loudly, to cover her confusion.  
  
"Oh?", asked Kaolla, "you want help? I can help you, I haven't got to get ready for school for a while yet." Motoko thought for a second. With a sigh, she accepted. "You want to help? Alright, you can help". "Yay!" Kaolla shouted, an even wider grin across her face. "But". "But?". "There's something I want to know first. Have you ever fought with a bokken before?"  
  
"No", said Kaolla. "It can't be too difficult, because even Keitaro can do it, but I'll never beat you..". "It's not about winning or losing. It's nice to practice sparring with another person once in a while, it helps you with your reactions. Thin air tends to be able to get out of the way." Motoko smiled at her new training partner. "Sure you want to help me? It's not easy training, and it's something that could hurt you". "I won't get hurt! Not with you fighting me!", exclaimed Kaolla. "Hey!", "No, I mean you'd never hurt me, Motoko, so I've got nothing to worry about, have I?". Su seemed absolutely certain of this. "I admire your spirit, Su! Let's begin!". With that, morning training began.  
  
"Here you are, Su, put some of this armour on. You'll need to wear this in case I hit you." Motoko started strapping Su into a chest piece. "Awwww, but why do I have to wear this? You're not wearing any armour!", Su protested. "No, but I am sparring with you, and as someone who has been practising this for her whole life, I think you need the padding more than me." Motoko, crouched fitting Su with shinpads, looked up at Kaolla. Who was looking straight back at her. "Confident, then?"  
  
"About what? I'm not arrogant, its' just that you have never used one of these before, so I'd rather know you were fully protected". Motoko finished by tying off the armguards that shielded Kaolla's arm, and then dropped the headguard over Su's head. "I gotta man on my head!" yelled Kaolla happily. Motoko rolled her eyes. 'I knew this would happen'. "No, Su, that's men. the helmet and shoulderguard are there to stop any blows to your shoulders or head."  
  
Handing her the training sword, Motoko said one last thing to her friend before starting. "Are you sure you want to do this, Su?". "Of course, but I still don't see why I have to wear all this heavy stuff!". Motoko nodded to herself. "I like the way you're approaching this, Su, but remember, this isn't a game". looking across the deck at her opponent, half hidden under all the protective equipment. 'Should be safe enough', she thought. 'I can get a good half-hour practice in'.  
  
"Ready?", Motoko's voice came clear to Kaolla. "Hai!", said Kaolla. "GO!"....  
  
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After a fairly active half hour, the two girls sat down to rest. "You know", said Motoko, as she drank from a flask of tea, "you're pretty good for someone who's never picked one of these up before. You surprised me". "Really? I'm glad I was able to help, Motoko. I liked that, it was so much fun, and a great way to wake up-up in the morning!", said Kaollla enthusiastically. "Can we do this again?". That surprised Motoko, who had thought that, prior to the start of the sparring session, that after a few minutes of being hit around the head by her practice sword, Kaolla would want to quit helping. 'I should know her better than that', Motoko chided herself, 'Su's not someone who gives up so easily'.  
  
"Yes, certainly, Su! I'd be glad of your help again. This isn't fun for me, normally, just training by myself, but against another person it is a challenge. You know when I start training in the afternoon after school, yes?"  
  
"Yup! I'll be ready! Just so long as I don't have to wear all that old equipment again...?". The last word was inflected to form a question. Su really didn't want to wear the armour again. She jumped up to sit beside Motoko on the rail.  
  
"Well, we'll see". Motoko leaned back against the deck rail and sipped her tea. "I'd be happier if you kept it on for a few more sessions at least". "But I wanna take it off, Motoko-ooo!", Su whined. "It slows me down and I can't fight well". Kaolla went into a mini-sulk. "Su, even with the armour you did very well. I thought you fought very tidily for a beginner". "Uh-huh, but it would have been better if I didn't have to fight with a big old long sword like this thing." Kaolla had sat her headguard on her lap, and now reached down to pick up the bokken, which she subjected to a long inspection.  
  
After careful study, Su continued. "Do you have anything shorter?", she enquired. "I could fight better with two short swords". "Oh, you fight two-handed?", asked Motoko. "Yep! I think thatd'd be easier for me, if we're gonna keep practising like this". "You want me to teach you?" Motoko hadn't expected this, at least not so soon, but she asked the question anyway. "No, that's okay, I'll pick it up as I go along. I'm a fast learner!". "I'm sure you are, Su, I'm sure you are". That said, Kaolla bounded off the rail, and started running across the roof, back towards her room. "Bye, Motoko! I gotta get ready for school!!" Her voice disappeared into the morning. "Bye, Su...". Motoko felt a little regretful that they couldn't talk more about the training, but then... "Aah! I have to go to school too!"  
  
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Over the next few weeks, this morning routine continued. Motoko was surprised she was having fun while training. It had just seemed to her that this was something necessary, something drummed into her in her youth that she should train hard every morning. Which was right and proper of course, but she'd not normally viewed the activity with fondness.  
  
What else surprised Motoko was the way Kaolla had indeed picked things up as she went along. Su could now defend herself reasonably well, and it took more effort for Motoko to connect with her sword blows. This also gave Motoko cause for worry. She wasn't sure that a beginner should be able to avoid being hit that easily. Maybe she just had a knack for dodging.  
  
They had discussed different weapons for Su to use, as she was struggling using the single long sword. Unable to defend herself properly (it looked fine to Motoko, but Su said she was having trouble. It just didn't look that way...), Su was taking more hits than she was expecting, and it was making her less effective. "I don't want you to just have a training partner who stands there and gets hit. You already have Keitaro for that!" Su had laughed. In the end, they decided on the solution Kaolla had previously suggested; two short wooden swords.  
  
The past few sessions, Kaolla had refused to wear any protective padding, and just fought in her school uniform. Having discarded the armour, Su was moving much faster. Su's 'fighting style' was based on no training, just interpretation of what was in front of her. She predicted what was coming at her, and just reacted to it. Obviously this left her open to a lot of hits from Motoko, but not as many as Motoko expected. It wasn't at all like fighting a beginner. Kaolla also made use of her kicking prowess in every practice session. No matter how may times Motoko asked her to stop and fight conventionally, Su retorted "You can't ask your enemy in the middle of a fight to stop doing that, I don't want you to do it. Sorry, Motoko, if you're gonna want to hit me with that big ol' sword, I want to do whatever I can to stop you doing it!"  
  
Su did things in a sparring session that beginners should not be able to do. So Motoko had to rely on different methods, some that she only normally fell back on against her sister. Kaolla was definitely improving.  
  
Motoko had launched an attack at Su, coming in from her opponent's right side and planning to change her position at the last moment, to cut at Su's left shoulder. This would unbalance Su, causing her to lose her stance and allowing Motoko to move in for more strikes. Motoko was uncomfortable doing this with her training partner not properly protected, but Su insisted.  
  
It hadn't turned out the way Motoko had thought. Su had anticipated the feint, and she swatted the first blow away from her shoulder with a swipe of her left sword. Motoko shifted herself and cut at Su's side, which was blocked by Su's other weapon. Su was moving backwards now, desperately trying to fend off the lightning quick strikes Motoko was raining down on her. Despite her blocking the majority of them, Motoko had succeeded in getting Su off-balance. "Weak spot, weak spot, I need to stop this!" Kaolla's brain shouted at her.  
  
Su rolled backwards into a crouch, stopped a hammerblow of an attack with both of her swords above her head, and then launched herself into the air, somersaulting over the charging body of Motoko. Motoko turned in a heartbeat, and just as Su landed saw the opening she needed to defeat Su yet again. Su started up from her low position, her face a mask of concentration, and then Motoko noticed. 'Huh? where's her other sword-?' "Look out below!" yipped Su. Motoko stared above her, eyes wide with surprise at the point of the weapon coming straight for her, then she wrenched her sword in a desperate upswing to deflect the sword and knock it away down the deck.  
  
Still staring upwards, she received a shoulder charge to her stomach, which winded her. Kaolla delivered a kick to Motoko's ribs, followed by quick sharp blows about her head and shoulders. In a matter of seconds, Motoko had inexplicably lost control of the fight, and was heading backwards. She needed something, and fast, to turn the fight back in her favour. Kaolla took a step backwards to give herself enough room to kick Motoko's legs from under her, and looked back at Motoko to see the point of a sword coming at her. She knocked it away with her right sword, but another came and hit her left wrist, which surprised her. Another came for her head, which was parried away, then three in quick succession struck her on the ankle, hip and because she had taken her eye off Motoko to deflect the hail of swords, the last hit her on the right temple, making her head ring.  
  
Straight after that, Motoko's sword slashed at her, going through Kaolla's now wide open guard and knocking the blonde-haired girl onto her backside. She hit the boards with a thump. "Ow!" yelped Kaolla. "What the-? Knives?!" The projectiles Motoko had thrown had fell to the floor with a clatter. A wooden sound. Su couldn't figure that out, and her fall hadn't helped, so she was a little confused.  
  
Motoko walked over to her fallen helper. "Here" she said, and offered her hand to Kaolla. Su looked at her with a questioning expression as she was hoisted up (she really is that light). "That was cheating, Motoko!" Su looked around and saw the little swords littering the deck. "Well, you've been improving. I had to do something to keep ahead of you, eh?" Motoko smiled deprecatingly. "Be no challenge if I didn't throw in some variety". 'There's probably enough of that, just fighting you' she thought to herself, but didn't voice her surprise.  
  
"what are they?" Su asked. "The knives are something I keep in my robe, so they're always handy. They get a bit uncomfortable sometimes, but I put up with it, since I never know when I may need them", explained Motoko, not adding that the last time she'd had to fall back on throwing knives was against her sister, and she was slightly alarmed that Kaolla had gotten that good so quickly. "wouldn't it be better to carry metal ones, Motoko?" asked Kaolla. "I could make you some if you like?" "I do carry some, but they're mainly for scaring Urashima. These are little wooden swords, made in exactly the same way as the standard practice sword, just to a much smaller scale, a little like your shorter weapons. I don't want to risk hurting you, do I?"  
  
Motoko looked right into Kaolla's eyes as she said this, and Kaolla knew that she meant it, for Motoko would never hurt her. "They do hurt though. One hit me right on the head! Owwie...", moaned Kaolla and gingerly touched the lump on her head. "Ouch!" Su grinned at her friend. "I'll get over it though!" "Good!" Motoko nodded. "You should expect some knocks, especially if you don't wear your armour", she mockingly scolded Su, knowing she was on a hiding to nothing. Su just grinned sheepishly. "So, think you're ready for another round?" asked the kendo master. "uhm.. no thanks, Motoko! I better go and soak this! I gotta headache now and I'm all sweaty, eww, so I'll go have a bath!". "Sounds a god idea", Motoko agreed. 'And so ends this afternoon's session', she thought. 'I was enjoying that...'  
  
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A couple of weeks later still, the training was a fixture of the two girls' days. Su had just about got used to waking early (at 6 a.m! There's a 6 a.m in the morning!?), which was a strain, because it meant she couldn't move to the warm spot in the futon she shared with Motoko, but she had to get up as well... 'Still', she thought to herself as their afterschool spar began, 'we're going to bed a little earlier than normal, so it evens out'. The bruise on her head a faded memory, Su was looking forward to each time she sparred with Motoko, as she got to show Motoko how much fun she was having. Su had been more confident in training ever since ditching the single sword and armour, and it really showed. Even though it was a practice exercise, each bout was getting more competitive than the last, and for the last couple of times Su had managed to beat Motoko once in a while, which was much more satisfying than losing every time.  
  
Su had fitted wrist straps to her weapons, partly to stop her losing them when a powerful strike from Motoko threatened to rip them from her grasp, but also to personalize them, stamp a little ownership on them. Except that they were 'her' weapons now. Motoko let her have them as a thank-you for assisting her in her training.  
  
As she stepped onto the deck, she saw Motoko already there, warming up by slashing her sword at any leaves that might have the misfortune to come near her. Motoko glanced up as she heard Su approach, and smiled. "Ah, good, you got home in time" the older girl said. "Thought you said you had to stay later today to set up your science project for tomorrow?" "Yup! Done that!" Su shouted back to Motoko happily. "Teleported it there! I've won the competition already!". Su's expression seemed to impart that she'd predicted that she would have won it anyway, once the judges had looked at her project. "I've been banned from showing my project though" she muttered in a disappointed voice. "At least until the hazard inspectors have visited tomorrow". Motoko's face showed a strange, lopsided expression at this news. She mentally shook herself. "well, anyway.. ready to start?" "Of course!" Su exclaimed enthusiastically. "oh! Hold on!" Su leaned over the deck rail and hailed the figure who had just stepped out of the Hinata Sou entrance.  
  
"Heyas, Kitsune!! Wanna watch us spar?!" Kitsune, startled at the shout, looked up at the laundry deck. She swept her hair out of her eyes, and called back. "Yeah, why not? I could do with some entertainment!". Eventually, Kitsune arrived on the upper level. Motoko looked over at the new arrival. "Ugh, Kitsune! Have you only just got up?". "Yeah, pretty much", yawned the fox-eyed resident. Being a freelance writer had it's advantages. For one, Kitsune didn't have to wake up early every morning the same way the rest of the house did, and so slept until early afternoon most days. She made up for it though, by spending most of the evening up trying to get Motoko drunk. Nobody knew why...  
  
"Well, get one with it! I can't sit around here all day" smirked Kitsune. Motoko rolled her eyes, Kaolla just bounced off to the opposite end of the practice area, where she whirled round as she landed, and set into her starting stance, a very versatile crouch. Motoko set herself. "Ready?" she called. "Hai, sensei!" came the reply. Kitsune joined in. "Go!" she shouted, and Motoko stepped quickly to her left to avoid the oncoming ball of Su that had just launched itself at her. Su unfolded herself in mid-air, and placed her foot on Motoko's raised sword, forcing it down and pulling Motoko off-balance. Motoko tried to counter by sweeping her sword to the side, but this just left Kaolla with an unobstructed target. She scored two unscientific chops to both shoulders, and then followed up by trying to sweep Motoko's legs from under her. Motoko had expected this, and jumped into the air. Kaolla followed, but Motoko hadn't jumped as far as she had expected, and Motoko's vicious blow swatted Kaolla in the side, right underneath her ribcage. The shot hurled Kaolla straight into the deck rail 10 feet away, and she landed in a crumpled heap.  
  
Kitsune immediately rushed over to help, as did Motoko when she landed. "Su! Are you okay??" said Kitsune. "Urrgh, good...g-good one, Motoko, I think I felt that one" Su groaned groggily. Motoko's face swam into focus. "I'm sorry, Su-chan, are you going to be alright?", her eyes filling with tears. "Heh, yep, I'll be okay in a sec! take more than that to keep me down, Motoko, you know that!"  
  
Picking herself up, Su started over to her starting position. "Here, Su, let me help" Motoko offered quickly. "Nope, I'm okay!" said the battered young girl, shaking her head vigorously, as if shaking out cobwebs. "You'll pay for that one, sensei!", she said, grinning widely. "Right, ready!"  
  
Motoko set herself again. Kitsune, looking to and fro, with some concern, between each of them, called to start again. Again, Motoko dodged left but this time raised her sword to guard immediately, the wood shuddering as it was struck by Kaolla's foot. The dark girl threw herself backwards, rolled right when she landed, heard the rubber point of Motoko's sword hit the deck, and then practically ran up the outstretched sword, swinging down sharply with her double swords multiple times. As her sword was trapped, Motoko could only take the blows on her arms and shoulders. Motoko had been bettered this time, and was forced to let go her grip on her sword. As quick taps of Kaolla's swords rained down on her, she pulled her arms up around her head to protect herself, and dropped to the ground. She was out of Kaolla's range for the moment, and rolled full-length back towards her dropped sword.  
  
Motoko managed to reach her sword again, but Kaolla turned and was on her again in an instant. The kendo master was being forced backwards under the onslaught. Not many of the blows that landed hurt her that much, but she was being outfought, and her mind raced as she raged at herself, desperately trying to figure a way out of this situation. She fended off a shot aimed at her neck, but the other sword smacked her on the foot, and Motoko flailed to keep upright.  
  
Su had the opening she needed to 'win' this confrontation. She stepped lightly backwards to give herself some room, and then dropped to a crouch to deliver a leg sweep. It wasn't taught in Motoko's form of martial arts, but she used everything she could to try and get the upper hand. All of a sudden, a knife came at her, so she dodged it, and then evaded one directed at her hip. 'Heh, I'm winning' thought Su elatedly. She grinned and jumped backwards, dancing through the hail of knives shooting through the air around her. This was her kind of fighting, Motoko had played into her hands, and now all she had to do was get back to Motoko and finish the fight. She cartwheeled back around towards Motoko, now about starting distance apart from her, a wooden blade flying just past her hand as it planted onto the deck. Landing, she jumped forward to attack Motoko, who had dropped to one knee to throw the knives, and shouted a challenge. Su saw a blade, probably one of the last in Motoko's supply, unless she had a huge amount in her robe, stabbing through the air right for her open mouth.  
  
Su moved her head slightly, and then snapped her teeth shut on the weapon, neatly picking it out of the air with her mouth. Just to be clever. 'That's it, Su, you've done it! Just need to..- huh?' Su thought. 'This isn't wood, it tastes of...'  
  
Kitsune saw Kaolla catch the blade, wondered how she'd managed it, and then saw the girl stop, and stand stock still. Motoko raised her sword and started to run at Su, who gingerly took the handle of the weapon she'd chomped on, and carefully removed it from her mouth. She threw it hard down to the deck, where the point stuck and the weapon juddered, vibrating with the force of the throw.  
  
Motoko saw Su drop her swords and walk towards her, her eyes fixed on the kendo girl, but had already started to leap at her opponent with her sword raised. Motoko checked her downward strike at her defenceless friend, but the blow still caught Su on the forearm pretty hard. Su didn't seem to notice, but jumped and caught the falling Motoko under her chin with a headbutt. Motoko fell hard onto her back and Su pounced on her, fists and legs smashing down anywhere and everywhere on Motoko's prone body. The older girl tried to bring her hands up to protect her face, but then got both Kaolla's knees straight to her stomach, which knocked all the breath out of her. Kaolla then straddled Motoko, who had tried to curl up to stop Su beating her. Su raised her right fist and froze. Her eyes welled up with tears, and she sakily stood and backed away from Motoko. Without a word, she jumped to the deck rail and bounded off into the forest surrounding the dorm.  
  
All this had happened far too quickly for Kitsune to figure out what had happened, but she sprinted over to the fallen girl. "Motoko! Are you okay? Let me help!" Motoko raised herself painfully on her elbows and looked up at Kitsune, then across the deck. Tears started pouring down her face. Kitsune cradled Motoko's head in her lap, and tried to make soothing sounds. She was utterly shocked at what had happened. Then Motoko sobbed, "Kitsune! I have to go and find Su-chan!". Kitsune shushed her cries. "Come on, Motoko, let's get you patched up first and then we'll go find Su" "No!" wailed Motoko, "You don't understand! The-... the... I have to go and look for her! You stay here and wait, see if she comes back!" Motoko pushed herself away from Kitsune and in one leap cleared the guardrail, tears streaking her face, landing in Hinata Sou's courtyard, and then sprinted off into the trees.  
  
Kitsune was completely bewildered. 'It's way too early for this' she thought to herself. 'What on earth was all that about?' Worried, she started running towards the staircase that lead down to ground level, but turned at the haed of the stairs to look back across the deck. She stared uncomprehendingly for a second, and then put her hand to her mouth. 'Oh... oh, no... poor Su. Motoko, I hope you find her.' The knife was still stuck blade down in the wooden board. The metal knife.  
  
'And I hope she doesn't hurt you...'  
  
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Motoko ran through the wood, looking everywhere for her runaway friend. But there was no sign of her. After a second's thought, it struck her that Su wasn't likely to be running away on the ground, but from tree-level. 'Anything's worth a try', Motoko thought sadly. 'I've got to find Su!'... "Su!! Where are you?!". She received no reply...  
  
Kitsune, who had been unofficially posted to the entrance of the lodge, sat and waited for Motoko to return with Su. 'That girl could be anywhere by now', she thought. 'This could take some time.' Motoko came back out of the wood. 'Kitsune, have you seen her?' she called desperately. 'No, I haven't, Motoko. She's not been near here. Come and sit a while, calm down, you're much more likely to find Su if you think rather than..' 'I've covered the west-side of the wood, I'll go look through the north-side! Stay there, Kitsune! Thank you! Su!! Where are you?!" With that, Motoko dashed back into the trees.  
  
'Well' Kitsune sighed inwardly, 'if I'm gonna be here a while, might as well get comfy.' She headed back inside. A short trip to the fridge later she was equipped with her second beer of the day, and a pack of low-salt crisps to munch on. Spinning the top off the bottle, she took a quick slug of the alcohol. "Aah! That hits the spot! Need something to get me going! Nothing like it. Oh, and a book!" Kitsune set the crisps and beer down on the front porch where she was sitting, and went back in, and jogged up the stairs to her room. She'd fetch the book she'd been reading, "How to play the sport of kings without really trying", it'd be a distraction while she was waiting for Su to get back. She'd hear Su if she turned up. It wasn't in her room. 'Ah, where'd I put it?' Kitsune muttered under her breath. 'Where is it, where is it?' Flinging piles of stuff to the floor, she searched her nightstand, then checked in the bookcase. 'Hmm. Where'd it go?' She sat on her chair, in a classic Thinker pose. A snap of her fingers. "A-hah! That's right! Su borrowed it, didn't she? Something about applying principles and stuff... improve the book or something..." Kitsune mumbled off towards Su's room. 'Urgh, why'd it have to be over the other side of the building?'  
  
Kitsune eventually made her meandering way to Su's door. Sliding the door open, she found that however used to it she was getting, she always found Su's personal jungle fascinating. There was always some new machine hiding in the shadows, weird generators and such, with strange signs and stickers, not quite completely hidden by the vines and large leaves of the hundreds of plants and trees that overran the room. It really was a jungle. Kitsune stepped through the doorway and started rummagging around the room. 'Books, bookcase... there.' After some hunting, she found the futon that the nimble girl never used, as Su was always in Motoko's room. 'You'd think it'd be around here somewhere, people normally put what they're reading near their bed... oh, wait. Of course not. Silly me...' Su, when she slept in her own room, slept in a tree! After some more searching, Kitsune found a large tree. It had something resembling a bedside table, with a smaller branch jutting out (near a pillow on the largest branch), supporting the usual debris that collected on such places. The tree also contained a sobbing Su.  
  
"Su! What are you doing there?" stammered a surprised Kitsune. She just heard the girl crying in reply. Kaolla may have mumbled something, but it was inaudible. "Su..." Kitsune shook her head. She'd never seen Su like this before. 'Motoko's mistake must really have gotten to her. She's normally full of life, and while I've seen her confused quite a lot, I've never seen her cry before'. Kitsune sat at the base of the tree, her back against the trunk, and waited. After a few minutes, Su's crying had softened. Kitsune hated this, but it seemed she was good at it, so she started. "Su, you ready to talk to me?" she called up to the girl flat out on the branch above her. Quiet. "Su, what happened just now was an accident. Please understand this. Motoko didn't mean to do that, she must have just kept a metal knife in her robe by mistake" This prompted a fresh bout of sobs from the tree.  
  
"Think about it Su, there's no way that Motoko would do that on purpose, it was a horrible mistake. She's out of her mind with worry right now, wondering what's happened to you" Kitsune explained. She waited. There was nothing but silence for several minutes, at least as close to silence as you could get in this room.  
  
A voice said, quietly, "I know that, Kitsune" Kitsune nodded to herself. "It's just, snif, I'm... I'm so angry right now, I..." Quiet again. Kitsune decided to see if Kaolla had more to say. Once she gathered herself, Su spoke again. "I.. I'm so angry, I didn't know what else to do. I tried running a while, but, just wanted to get somewhere, anywhere, just away". The machinery in the roomed hummed, and the insects chirped away softly. "I didn't know what to do, so I just turned and came back here. I feel really silly, but didn't have anywhere else to go" sniffed Su. "I know, Su, I know, it just feels safer in your room, doesn't it? It's your escape, you can hide from whatever's troubling you... you can even cry to yourself in here, away from people" said Kitsune soothingly, to stop Kaolla breaking into tears again.  
  
"I don't cry a lot, Kitsune, I don't have to, I normally have a lot of fun. But I didn't know what else to do. I just felt so ashamed". Kitsune agreed. "It's hard to take when someone that close to you, someone you think will always protect you, turns out to have made a mistake, turns out not perfect like you thought they were. We're all human, Su. We all make mistakes. And right now, Motoko's feeling really bad about making this one. There's no way she meant to hurt you." Fresh sobs from the tree. Kitsune pulled out a handkerchief from her pocket, and held it above her head. "Here, Su, take this" she said.  
  
A brown hand reached out and took the tissue from Kitsune. "I know that Kitsune. I really feel ashamed of myself, I'm so angry at myself for reacting like that. I went and hit Motoko! sob I... I never do that! I'm angry because I hit her! Why did I do it? I didn't know what to do, so I came back here to figure it out".  
  
Kitsune was confused now. "You, you mean, it's not Motoko who you're angry at?" "No Kitsune, I can never be mad at Motoko!" Kaolla has stopped crying, and just sounded shocked, like the words Kitsune had said had been a physical blow. It was like she'd been hit. "Mad at Motoko? No, Kitsune, you've got it wrong. I've forgiven Motoko. After all, it was a fight. But I never thought she might be capable of hurting me, so I just reacted, and... Oh! Kitsune, is she all right? Is Motoko okay? I didn't hurt her, did I?" Kaolla's voice had gotten urgent. "Is Motoko okay?!" "Yes, yes, Su, calm down, Motoko's okay. She's just out looking for you at the moment" said Kitsune.  
  
"Now. Are you coming down, or do I have to climb up there?" Kitsune smiled up the tree. "Okay. I'm coming down". Su nimbly skipped down through the branches to land in front of Kitsune. Su looked down at her feet, and then at her friend. "Kitsune, thank you!" Kaolla dropped to her knees and hugged Kitsune. She started crying again, into Kitsune's shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Kitsune, I was just so scared I'd hurt her!" Kitsune stroked the back of Su's head. "It's alright, it's okay, Su, it's okay".  
  
"I didn't mean to hurt her" Su looked up at Kitsune. Her large green eyes were clouded with tears. "Come now, Su-chan, don't cry, everything's alright now. just sit here a while with me, huh?" "Uh-huh.." After a few minutes, Su's breathing became more regular and even, calming down as she hugged Kitsune. The older girl rested her cheek on Su's head. "It's okay, Su, I'm here for you. I'll always be here."  
  
Some time later, Su raised her head from the grass. She was bewildered. Wasn't Kitsune here just a second ago? Here she was, alone, in her room, with no-one around. She didn't want this, she wasn't strong enough. "M-Motoko!" she shouted, and jumped to her feet. 'I must find Motoko!' she thought. Just at that second, she heard her door open. "Yes, Su? I'm here." "Motoko?" Kaolla asked. She shimmied round the tree to see Motoko standing in her doorway, just closing the door. "Motoko!!" Su ran to her friend, cannoned into her, and hugging round Motoko's neck, orbited her a few times, such was the speed with which she had launched herself through the air. "MotokoI'msosorryI wasn'tthinkingitjusthappenedI'msosososorryIwon'tdoitagain!"  
  
Motoko swirled round, kept her balance, and then supported Kaolla's weight around her. "It's me who should be sorry, Su-chan, that never should have happened.. uh.." Kaolla had pressed her forefinger to Motoko's lips. "Don't say sorry Motoko, you've nothing to be sorry for. I didn't hurt you, did I?" Kaolla gave Motoko a look of such sorrow Motoko thought her heart would melt. Here was someone she could easily have killed, begging her forgiveness for striking her. In truth the shots kaolla had delivered had really hurt her, and they had been so many so quickly. She never knew Su could get that angry.  
  
"No, Su, you didn't hurt me, but I could have done much worse to you, so why are you asking me if I'm okay? I'm fine, and I'm so glad you're okay" Motoko embraced her friend. "When I think of how close I was to losing you..." "Hey, I'm okay Motoko! Don't cry..." Kaolla hugged back. "Without you around I'd be lost, and I thought that by hitting you you wouldn't be my friend any more, and I couldn't bear that!" Kaolla hugged back, tightly, as if she never wanted to let go. The two girls just stayed hugging each other for what seemd like ages, each listening to the other's breathing. It was well over an hour before either of them moved. Then Motoko planted a single kiss on the top of Kaolla's head.  
  
"Motoko?" Su mumbled into Motoko's chest. "Yes, Su?" replied Motoko softly. "Stay with me tonight?" Su asked. "Of course. My pleasure, Su" Motoko said. "Want to go down for dinner, Su?" "No, I don't want to go anywhere for the moment, Motoko, I'm happy here". They both heard the door open, and then close again after a second. Motoko turned to the door, just a few feet away, and saw two dinnerplates sitting on the grass. "Guess we don't have to go anywhere if you don't want to, Su. I think we'll be fine here". 'Thanks, Kitsune' she thought. And the two girls spent the night together, cradled in each other's arms.  
  
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Motoko woke to find herself staring into Su's sleepiong face. She looked so peaceful. There was a faint smile on her face as she lay asleep next to Motoko. The older girl rubbed her eyes, untwisted her pyjama collar, and sat up. She reached for her clothes. As she started getting dressed, she turned to look at her friend. Her face looked troubled now. In the space of a few seconds she'd gone from serene to unhappy. Motoko's face showed concern, but then she smiled to herself. 'She doesn't like being alone. Never mind, Su, you don't need to worry about that anymore. Not while I can still draw breath will you ever be alone.' She bent forward, and kissed Su lightly on her forehead, and the sleeping girl's face reverted to a peaceful smile.  
  
She stood, finished dressing, and steepped out of Su's room. Colliding with Kitsune. "Oof! Kitsune! What were you doing there!" she hissed, so as not to disturb Su through her bedroom door. "Eh? Oh, I was just wondering how you two got on last night. Not that it's any of my business of course. That's never stopped me before though" the fox-eyed girl smirked. "So, how'd I do?" "Wonderful, Kitsune. Thank you for talking to her. I should have done that, but when I came back here and couldn't find you, I went to see Su and heard you two talking. Thank you ever so much for whatever you said to her". "I never said anything, Motoko" Kitsune explained. "I just offered a sympathetic ear and a shoulder to cry on. Everyone needs one from time to time. Su appreciated that you went to look for her though." Motoko blushed. "I'm sorry you had to talk to her, but I-". "Hey, don't worry about it, kiddo. Glad to help" Kitsune grinned. "Just let everything get back to normal. That'll be thanks enough. See ya! I'm off to the bookies, see what wonders Su's maths can work for me!" Kitsune disappeared down the stairs.  
  
Motoko stepped out onto the laundry deck. It had taken some effort, funnily enough, but she supposed it always would from now on. It wouldn't be quite the same. her eyes were drawn to the knife that was still stuck in the boards, halfway down the deck. She went over to it, and pulled the blade from the wood. She looked it over. 'Why did I still have you, in a spar session? You may be unlucky, my friend' She walked over to the rail, leaned over the bar, and hurled the weapon away from her. "Waagh! Hey, who threw that?!" came an anguished cry from far below. "Oh! Gomenasai, Urashima!" "Motoko, be careful, huh? You nearly had my eye out with that one!" the long suffering kanrinrin called back. "Okay, sorry, Urashima!" 'I have to be more careful with my weapons, and with my friends...' A sound from behind her made her lean back from over the rail and turn her head.  
  
Standing at the top of the steps was Kaolla, with her hands clasped together in front of her. 'She looks just like Shinobu when she does that' Motoko thought, 'but what is she nervous about? Is it being up here again?' she remembered her own apprehension at coming up to this level again. "Um, Motoko?" Su said. The breeze caught the edges of her uniform which blew about her. She looked fragile, but Motoko knew her better than that. Appearances could be decpetive. "Yes, Su-chan?" Motoko asked.  
  
"Can we pick up from yesterday, please? I-if you have time, I mean..." Motoko was slightly taken aback. "Y-yes, of course, we can, Su, if that's what you want. I'd be happy to." "Yes please Motoko, I would like to. But on one condition." She crossed to the rail beside Motoko, put her hands behind her head, and stood on one leg (it was more comfortable to her, because of the blow she'd taken to her ankle). Motoko was confused. "Which is?" she enquired. Su stretched up and kissed the tip of Motoko's nose. Grinning from ear to ear with mischief, she barked loudly, "That I get to frisk you before we start!", and pounced on Motoko, bearing her to the ground.  
  
"Woulgh!"  
  
The end.

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